The Portland daily press., 1887-06-16
sERDAN's TORPEDO.
Designed for the Attack of Vessels
Protected by the Steel Net.
NEW York sun.1


The Berdan Torpedo, working model OF
which was shown before the United States
Naval Torpedo Board at the Navy Yard on
Friday, is designed especially for the attack
vessels protected by the steel net, though
equally effective in the absence of met. The
individual expression of the members Of the
Board was that Of favor and admiration for
the device, but this was not formulated by
the Board, as 1t must await an authorization
to accept the terms under which Gen. Berdan
will let it 60 to the Government for trial.
There IS no doubt that an agreement will
be reached and the trial made this sum-
mer.
Out of the twenty-five t0rpedoes offered to
the consideration of the Board, twenty-three
were deemed to be unworthy Of being order
ed to trial. The one selected besides Gen.
Berdan's was the Howell, self-directing
torpedo, against which the net is sufficient
protection. Gen. Berdan has contracts with
the Governments Of England, France, Ger
many, Russia, Turkey, Italy, and Spain for
the use of this invention. In England 1t is
known as the Yankee Trick" ~
The torpedo is described as diving torpe-
do, with a Stumbling line. 1t can be rigged
on vessels OF any size, and has the advantage
OF being capable Of working effectually In
heavy seas and rough weather when a self
steering torpedo would be as helpless as q
Vitlp Ou tue waves. luc DOdt6 are lQLenQc0
TO be swift, handy craft, and to be used in
connection with mother ships to carry coal
and supplies. A heavy ram bow, plated to
protect the men and machinery Is a feature
OF the boats, the slanting surfaces requiring
only light plating for this purpose. The tor
pedoes may be fired automatically or by me-
chanlcal or electric devices controlled from
within the boat.
The torpedoes, when a boat Is ready for ac-
ton, are carried, one or more on each side,
suspended below the water line out Of the
reach OF shot and accidental explosion.
When the ship to be attacked is reached they
are set free. and with the additional propel-
ling force OF four six-ineh rocket tubes fired
at the instant, and travel at thirty-knot rate
through the water. The snnbblng line or
and against the bottom Of the ship at its
weakest part, as well as the most effective
spot for exploding them, as the place where
the tamping pressure Of the water is great
est.
When the automatic machinery is used the
same blow Of a projecting spar that starts the
torpedo also detaches 1t from the snubbng
line, fires 1t, and reverses the engine of the
torpedo boat. When these different steps are
controlled by the crew they can be made al
electric keys If the attacking boat reaches
the ship at an angle. instead of bow on, the
t0rped0es OF either side can be used and the
others saved. The torpedoes are eight feet
long and fourteen inches in diameter, con-
tanning 200 pounds of compressed gun cot
ton.
Geo. II. Berdan, the inventor, is credited
with remarkable Number of successful in
ventions, principally in the direction of the
enginery of warfare. He adapted the
breech-loading principle to military arms,
and says he had more trouble to get them
introduced into use than he had in perfect
ing them. President Lincoln finally gave
him the necessary order, and a regiment was
supplied with new arm. Then all the world
wanted them. He invented the central fire
cartridge, a range finder for measuring dis
tances for artillery, and an automatic me-
chanical fuse for exploding shrapnel. But
he is prouder Of his torpedo than of any
other Of his inventions. 1t is not on account
OF its mechanical ingenuity, as it is simpler
than many complicated systems that he
thought out, developed, and discarded. But
It is from a patriotic pleasure in the results
1T will give in the adequate protection Of his
country's long coast line. No improvement
in guns, he says, would give equal results.
While battering at the sides Of the ships of
hostile fleet with guns their shots would fire
our cities, and then the enemy could sail
away with their fingers to their noses